Cover photo by Angelina Azzo

CHICAGO, Ill. & KENOSHA, Wis. -- The Vikings track & field team turned in another big day at Saturday's Windy City Rumble on the campus of U-Chicago, picking up three event wins to close out the day with team fourth-place finishes. This marks North Park's highest finish of the indoor season to date, as the group continues to gain momentum going into the CCIW Championships.

Junior Jason Adkinson made his season debut in the triple jump and delivered with a first-place finish with a jump of 13.39m (43'11.25"). That mark breaks a six-year school record that was set by Niklas Alsing. Adkinson is now 10th in the Midwest across Division III track & field.

North Park dominated in the 60m dash, with sophomore Jereme Ombogo (6.87) and senior Darien Booker (7.27) picking up first and sixth, respectively. Booker's time is now the ninth-fastest time in school history. Freshman Riana Hayes made her season debut running the 60m Dash in 8.23 - the third-fastest time in school history. Her time was good for an 8th-place finish.  

The women's high jump may have been North Park's strongest event of the weekend, as senior Esther Miller and freshman Maria Bugge claimed two of the top six. Miller secured third while Bugge finished in sixth. Both had a jump of 1.50m (4'11").

Over in the 5K, Sean Sanaghan shaved more than 10 seconds off his previous personal record to finish in first place with a time of 16:02.02. That time places him 4^th in school history. However, not to be outdone, Senior Patrycja Miazek also improved her previous best in the event and shaved off seven seconds, earning second place with a time of 18:43.21.

Thea Ring added a second-place finish in the long jump after an effort of 5.42m (17'9.5") as well as a 4^th place finish in the 60m Hurdles with a time of 9.53.

Over in the shot put, senior Clark Fremouw earned third place with a toss of 13.80m (45'3.5"). 

The momentum on the track carried over into the relays, as North Park continued to pick up points between the lines. The women's 4x400 relay squad of Miller, Ameerah Brown, Hayes, and Ring grabbed a 7^th place finish with North Park's best time of the season (4:21.52). That time places them 5^th all-time. 

Meanwhile, in Kenosha, freshman Julia Klein and Olav Gissinger were competing in their first collegiate heptathlon and pentathlon. Klein finished with 2390 points which is now 3^rd all-time. Gissinger finished with 4476 points which is also now 3^rd all-time. His mark is 34^th across Division III and the second-best in the CCIW.  

The Vikings are off next weekend but will return on Feb. 17 when they are slated to visit Grand Valley State University for their Tune-Up Meet. 

Top 10 NPU Performance List 

• Jason Adkinson is now the new school record holder in Triple Jump 
• Thea Ring is now 3^rd all-time in NPU History in the Long Jump 
• Julia Klein is now 3^rd all-time in NPU history in the Pentathlon 
• Olav Gissinger is now 3^rd all-time in NPU history in the Heptathlon 
• Riana Hayes is now 3^rd all-time in NPU history in the 60 Meter Dash 
• Sean Sanaghan is now 4^th all-time in NPU history in the 5000-meter 
• Esther Miller is now 4^th all-time in NPU history in the 60 Meter Hurdles 
  • 6ith all-time in NPU history in the High Jump 
• Patrycja Miazek is now 5^th all-time in NPU history in the 5000-meter 
• Women's 4x400 is now 5^th all-time 
  • (Esther Miller, Ameerah Brown, Riana Hayes, Thea Ring) 
• Darian Booker is now 9^th all-time in NPU history in the 60 Meter Dash 

Personal Records 

• Jason Adkinson – Triple Jump – 13.39m 
• Daniel Ramsfjell – High Jump – 1.65m 
• Isaiah Williams – Shot Put – 9.88m 
  • Weight Throw – 10.99m 
• Darien Booker – 60-Meter Dash – 7.27 
• Alex Salmeron – 800 Meter – 2:23.33 
• Ali Karatas – Mile – 4:47.19 
• Brendan Stump – Mile – 5:53.31 
• Sean Sanaghan – 5000 Meters – 16:02.02 
• Thea Ring – Long Jump – 5.42m 
• Andrea Hernandez – 60-Meter Dash – 9.48 
• Erin O'Hara – 800 Meters – 2:53.46 
• Ellie Parker – 3000 Meters – 12:29.96 
• Erika Ver Beek – 3000 Meters – 12:51.17